Geranium plant named ‘Fislamda’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fislamda’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of purple-pink double flowers, large inflorescence, medium green, glossy foliage with distinct zonation, moderately vigorous growth, and early to medium flowering response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geraniumplant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Fislamda’.

‘Fislamda’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new geranium cultivars with stable pink topurple-pink flower color and medium tall, well-branched plant habit.

‘Fislamda’ was originated from a hybridization made by the inventor,Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, in 1994. The female parent was an unnamed seedling fromthe commercial variety ‘M. J. Cole’, which was characterized by intensepurple-pink flower color, semi-double flower form, foliage with weakzonation, and relatively weak growth. The male parent of ‘Fislamda’ was‘Pilatus’, an unpatented commercial variety having light-violet doubleflowers with distinct markings, distinctly zoned foliage, late floweringresponse, and weak growth.

‘Fislamda’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in 1995 in a controlledenvironment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fislamda’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in autumn1995 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain byAngelika Utecht. Horticultural examination of plants grown from thesecuttings initiated in May 1996 in Hillscheid, Federal Republic ofGermany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that thecombination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fislamda’ arefirmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Fislamda’, which in combination distinguishthis geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Intense purple-pink flower color;

2. Large double flowers arranged in relatively big, semi-sphericallyshaped inflorescence;

3. Medium-green foliage with distinct zonation;

4. Medium to tall, fairly round plant habit;

5. Early to medium flowering response; and

6. Large number of flowers and big buds that are developed at thebeginning of flowering.

‘Fislamda’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without any change of genotype of the plant. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown inHillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Fislamda’ are the patented varieties‘Flofetti’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,635) and ‘Fischic’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 9,503), and the unpatented cultivar ‘M. J. Cole’.

In general comparison to ‘Flofetti’, ‘Fislamda’ has a more intenseflower color and more substantial (bigger) looking florets that consistof twice the number of petals. Furthermore, ‘Fislamda’ grows morevigorously, develops larger leaves, and appears more attractive at thebeginning of flowering because of the many large buds that are alreadyformed in this early stage.

In comparison to ‘Fischic’, ‘Fislamda’ has larger inflorescence andlonger peduncles, foliage with distinct zonation, and more vigorousgrowth. In comparison to ‘M. J. Cole’, ‘Fislamda’ has bigger flowerswith more petals and bigger buds with hair, while ‘M. J. Cole’ hasnarrow elliptic buds with smooth surfaces. Furthermore, ‘Fislamda’ growsmore vigorously than ‘M. J. Cole’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photographic drawing shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fislamda’ with colors being as true aspossible will illustrations of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Langley, British Columbia, Canada on May26, 1998,—10 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings into 15-cm pots.The plants had not been pinched. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart(R.H.S.). The color values were determined indoors from flowersdeveloped in a greenhouse in May 1998 in Hillscheid, Germany.

Classification:

Botanical.—A hybrid of the species Pelargonium peltatum L'Hérit.

Commercial.—Ivy geranium, cv. ‘Fislamda’.

Inflorescence:

Umbel.—Shape: Semi-spherical. Average diameter: 97 mm. Average depth: 52mm. Peduncle length: 205 mm. Peduncle color: Light to medium green, RHS143 B. Peduncle texture: Relatively strong (diameter 4-5 mm), smooth,with weak pubescence. Pedicel length: 23 mm, usually without ‘joint’.Pedicel color: Lower part: Green, RHS 143 A. Upper part: Mainly green,but often a red stripe, RHS 60 A, develops along the length of thepedicel at the side most exposed to the sun. Number of flowers perumbel: Approximately 8-12. Lastingness of the individual umbel: 8-12flowers or buds in various stages of development; the individual umbellasts approximately 14 days in greenhouse conditions in spring at atemperature of 18° C.

Corolla.—Average diameter: 53 mm. Form: Double. Shape: Large, nearlyround. Number of petals: 24-28. Number of petaloids: 2-4. Color (generaltonality from a distance of three meters): Intense purple pink. Color ofupper petals: RHS 67 A. Markings of upper petals: Strong, though oftencovered by inner petals, 2-4 black or very dark purple veins, with orwithout lighter stripes between, and a small dark purple spot in themiddle of the petal. Color of lower petals: RHS 67 B. Color of lowersurface of petals: RHS 61 C-D. Color of sepals: Green, RHS 137 D-143 A,anthocyanin only at the very base of the largest sepal can result incolor near RHS 180 A or lighter. Number of sepals: 5. Texture of sepals:Smooth, with relatively strong pubescence.

Bud (just before petals unfold).—Shape: Broad elliptical. Color(sepals): Medium green, RHS 143 A. Color (petals): Pink, RHS 57 C, andwhite, marbled. Length: 16 mm. Width: 12 mm.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: 3-5 fertile anthers, white tolight-pink filaments, yellow-orange pollen. Gynoecium: 5-6-lobed stigma,dark-purple, RHS 59 A-B, whitish to light-pink style. Fertility/seedset: Hardly any spontaneous seed set.

Spring flowering response period.—In Hillscheid, Germany, in 1998,plants had on average 1.1 flowers opened 15 weeks after planting ofunrooted cuttings.

Outdoor flower production.—Medium to rich flowering.

Blooming habit.—Continuous flowering from about May to mid-September;after which flowering may be poor depending on general conditions andlight intensity. There is no noticeable fragrance.

Lastingness of the individual bloom.—The floret does not drop its petalseasily (no ‘shattering’) and is not very susceptible to gettingburned/scorched by the sun; the flower lasts approximately 9 days ingreenhouse conditions in spring at a temperature of 18° C.

Durability.—Good shatter resistance; relatively good rain resistance.

Plant:

Foliage.—Form: Ivy-shaped, with weak, rounded lobes, closed base, and aflat leaf blade with smooth, slightly glossy (waxy) surface. Margin:Entire. Size of leaf: 95 mm wide. Color of upper surface: Medium green,RHS 137 B-C. Color of lower surface: RHS 137 D. Color of zonation:Brown, approximately RHS 166 A. Tolerance of botrytis: Fair.

General appearance and form.—Plant habit: Medium to tall, fairly round,moderately compact and moderately trailing. Internode length: 40-50 mm.Branching pattern: 5.8 naturally-occurring branches. Length of branches:75 cm from the base of the main stem (soil surface), to the tips of thebranches (in late August, based on 32-week-old plants).

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named‘Fislamda’, as described and illustrated.